Posted by Sudbury Northern Life
The Accommodation Review Process for the Sudbury Catholic District School Board came one step closer to conclusion last night with director of education Catherine McCullough's recommendations to trustees with respect to the North/West and South/Central Planning Areas.
Before making her recommendations to the board, McCullough thanked the members of the Accommodation Review Committees for their commitment to a lengthy process that began in February 2008.
McCullough also acknowledged the valuable input of Watson and Associates Economists Ltd., for providing counsel to the ARC Steering Committee within the framework of the Ministry of Education's Pupil Accommodation Review Process.
With respect to the North/West Planning Area - Immaculate Conception, St. Anne, St. Charles Elementary, St. Mary, Bishop Alexander Catholic Secondary School -  the Director made a number of recommendations regarding St. Mary Elementary School in Capreol.
"At this time, the value of the school to the students, the board, the economy and the community of Capreol, outweighs the financial benefit of closure," she stated in a press release.
She also said the school's Grade 7 and 8 students and programming should be consolidated into St. Anne Elementary School, beginning September 2009. As well, she suggested a section of the current St. Mary Elementary School be demolished, using the Facility Renewal Program (FRP) funding, to best serve the needs of JK to Grade 6 programming.
For future planning, McCullough also proposed a number of recommendations be incorporated in the board's Long-Term Capital Plan, including: that the Bishop Alexander Carter Catholic Secondary School facility be renovated to allow for the implementation of Grade 7 to 12 programming at a date to be determined; that the implementation of Grade 7 to 12 programming at Bishop Alexander Carter Catholic Secondary School include the construction of a Multi-Media Resource Centre; and the St. Anne Elementary School Grade 7 and 8 students and programming would then be consolidated into Bishop Alexander Carter Catholic Secondary School.
With respect to the South/Central Planning Area - Corpus Christi, Marymount Academy, St. Benedict Catholic Secondary School, St. Christopher, St. David, St. Francis, St. James, St. Joseph, St. Michael, St. Theresa - the Director made recommendations relating to boundaries, renovations and new construction.
She suggested current school communities be grandfathered when implementing the new enrolment boundaries for this planning area.
"(I recommend) that the revised boundaries apply to all new families within this planning area," McCullogh said.
Other recommendations included:
Construction of a new "Green" Dual-track JK to Grade 8 Elementary School and a Multi-Media Technology Plaza on the St. Benedict Catholic Secondary School site, to include all of Grade 7 and 8 students from St. Francis and St. David Elementary Schools, and all of the current JK to Grade 6 students from St. Theresa and St. Christopher Elementary Schools.
Renovation of the existing St. Francis Elementary School with Dual-track JK to Grade 6 programming to include all of the current students from St. Francis, Corpus Christi and St. Michael Elementary Schools.
She also noted in her presentation that Sudbury Catholic District School Board staff will develop an implementation plan for the school consolidations in the South/Central Planning Area.
"This implementation plan will include consultations with all stakeholders. The completed plan will then be communicated to all school communities prior to initial implementation. The recommendations herein are intended to provide the students under our care with a Catholic Education that is of the highest quality possible."
